You've Got To Hand It To Michael Bay...

Rating: 10/10 (29 December 2005)

The man knows how to make entertaining movies. Bad Boys, The Rock, Armageddon, and now The Island. The Island is one of the most satisfying sci-fi action movies of the year.
The acting by everyone is excellent. Ewan McGregor is great as Lincoln, playing the role with curiosity and bravery. Scarlett Johansson, looking very hot, plays Jordan just fine, giving the character a sweet and tender touch. The two have great chemistry together and both discover the new 'outside world' in some very amusing ways. Sean Bean nails the role of Dr. Merrick superbly, downplaying it with a hint of madness. Djimon Hounsou and Steve Buscemi are great in their supporting roles, making the most of them. I also enjoyed the 'practically-a-cameo' appearance by Michael Clarke Duncan.
The ideas thrown out there by the movie are handled fairly well. The thought of whether or not cloning should be used for something like it is in the film is looked at almost like abortion. Though I think they could have delved deeper into all the ideas and problems, they didn't need to here. This is a Michael Bay movie! Let's blow some stuff up!
The action sequences and special effects are eye-poppingly spectacular. My favorite action sequence, probably of the entire year, was the amazing 'train wheel chase', which has our two heroes rolling gigantic metal train wheels off the back of a speeding truck, onto the freeway where enemy cars are tailing them. Even though it lasts less than two minutes, watching these vehicles flip over, roll end over end, and get torn to shreds was incredible! One other note-worthy scene is where a huge building logo falls off the building and crashes into a helicopter. Great stuff! The other special effects are generally well done, not relying on CGI too much.
Michael Bay knows how to polish things up damn good. The cinematography is excellent, with teal blues and golden ambers permeating the screen. Bay manages to give the film a sleek and shiny look, really giving the movie a futuristic feel to it. The chases are all shot with a kinetic intensity that fits the lightning pace of the movie perfectly.
The music is also excellent, complimenting the movie perfectly. Steve Jablonsky did a great job. Keep up the good work Steve!
The Bottom Line:
An excellent sci-fi actioner from the Bay-man with some awesome chase scenes, great acting, and a little something for you to think about.